Adjustable post for mailboxes, street signs, and the like



Oc 2 1955 R. E. HONOLD 2,721,631

ADJUSTABLE POST FOR MAILBOXES, STREET SIGNS, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26, 1954 R/CI/A/w E. //0A/0LDI INVENTOR.

huwpi ATTOP VEXS- United States Patent ADJUSTABLE POST FOR MAILBOXES, STREET SIGNS, AND THE Richard E. Honold, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 26, 1954, Serial No. 464,831

2 Claims. (Cl. 189-48) The present invention relates generally as indicated to an adjustable post for mailboxes, street signs, and the like, and more particularly to a universally adjustable post which is capable of being angularly adjusted by swinging of the lower end portion thereof about angularly disposed axes whereby the post may be accurately positioned and clamped in a plumb or vertical position irrespective of the direction of tilt of the earth-embedded base or support therefor.

It is one general object of this invention to provide a simple and foolproof adjustable post construction to achieve accurate adjustment as aforesaid and to securely lock the same in the desired vertical position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an additional adjustment of the post, namely, a vertical or up-and-down adjustment, which is convenient asin installations having two or more posts spaced apart with a plank or beam horizontally therebetween having a bank of mailboxes mounted on the latter.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description pro- K ceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fore and aft swinging adjustment being denoted by the angle Y in one plane;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section view taken substantially along the line 2-2, Fig. 1, the angular adjust ment sideways, in a plane normal to the plane Y, being denoted by the angle X;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section view on a somewhat enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of a bracket-like postreceiving member with which the present invention is adapted to be used for supporting sign posts or like tubular posts;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the post-receiving member of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section view taken substantially along the line 6-6, Fig. 4.

Broadly stated, the present invention may be said to comprise an earth-embedded base or support to which the lower end of the post is pivotally connected for swinging movement in two angularly related planes through an intermediate member which has a pivotal connection with the base in one plane and a pivotal connection with the post in the other plane, and thus the post may be swung to a true plumb position irrespective of the direction of tilt of the base.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, and

first to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, the earth-embedded post support is here shown as comprising a concrete or equivalent base 4 having a pair of upstanding angles 5. whose lower ends are anchored in the concrete and between whose upper parallel ends is a short channel 6 which is spaced above the top surface of the base 4.

The post here shown is designated by the reference numeral 7 and,'instead of being a single piece of wood, may be constructed of wood pieces nailed or screwed together to form a rigid post of H or I cross-section, said post 7 having its lower end spaced above the top surface of the base 4 and adjustably secured to the web of the channel 6 in a manner to be described herein in detail. A mailbox 8 or the like is mounted on the upper end of said post 7 by any suitable means.

Each angle 5 has a pair of vertically spaced apart holes B and 10 through one of its legs, the lower hole 9- registering with a hole 9' in the adjacent channel flange, and the upper hole 10 registering with an arcuate slot 11 in the adjacent channel flange, which slot is coaxial with the hole 9. Bolts 12 with nuts thereon (and washers, not shown) pass through the registering holes 9 and through the hole 10 and slot 11, and as evident, when the nuts on said bolts 12 are loosened, the channel 6 may be swung about the axis of the holes 9 so as to position its web in a vertical plane irrespective of the direction of tilt of the angles 5 and base 4. This is the pivotal adjustment denoted by the angle X in Fig. 2.

The adjustment of the post 7 in the plane Y perpendicular to the plane X is provided by the hole 13 and arcuate coaxial slot 14 in the web of channel 6, bolts 16 passing therethrough and through registeringvertical slots 15 formed in the post 7. Thus, when the nuts on these bolts 16 are loosened, the post 7 may be swung to a vertical or plumb position in the plane Y. Thus, the adjustment in planes X and Y enables adjustment of the post 7 to a true plumb or vertical position irrespective of the tilt of the base 4 and angles 5 therein.

Instead of the vertical slots 15 in the post 7, plain round holes may be provided, but in order to enable up-and-down adjustment of the post, the vertical slots 15 have been provided. Thus, when a series of mailboxes are to be mounted on a beam or plank, the posts 7 at each end may be adjusted up and down so as to level such beam or plank.

While the arcuate slots 11 are formed in the flanges of the channel 6, the same adjustment may be achieved by forming such slots in the angles 5 instead. Likewise, the holes 9 may be above the arcuate slots 11 if desired. Similarly, the arcuate slot 14 in the channel web may be formed in the post 7 instead, and here again the hole 9 may be disposed above the arcuate slot. When the arcuate slot 14 is formed in the post, the vertical slots 15 may be formed in the channel web.

As previously mentioned, the post 7 may be made of wood pieces nailed or screwed together to form an I or H cross-section which is both lightweight and strong. Obviously, other materials or cross-section shapes have utility. I have found it desirable for purpose of ornation to form a cut-out design in the web piece of such H-section post and to include the house number on both sides of the web between the bottom and top ends of the post at a convenient height so as to be readily visible by motorists traveling in either direction along the road.

Although the post 7 herein mounts a mailbox 8 at the upper end thereof, other objects may be thus mounted, such as birdhouses, street signs, etc. In some instances, the post 7 may simply comprise a familiar form of fence post of round, square, T, or other cross-section with holes or vertical slots 15 therethrough for the bolts 16.

By providing a pair of angles 5 embedded in the concrete base 4, a strong rigid construction is obtained thereby for firm clamping of the channel 6 therebetween in desired adjusted position, and likewise the channel web may be firmly clamped to the post in adjusted position so that the post 7 when adjusted properly is rigid and holds its adjustment.

Instead of connecting the post 7 directly to channel 6 as just described, a bracket-like post-receiving member 17 (see Figs. 46) may be so attached through its mounting plate or flange 18 which has a pair of holes 19 therethrough for the bolts 16 which pass through hole 13 and slot 14 in the web of channel 6. Said flange 18 has integrally formed therewith or welded thereto a tubular post-receiving member 20 in which the lower end of a tubular post 21 or the like is adapted to be telescoped and secured as by set screw 22, said post 21 being adapted to support a mail box, a street sign, or the like, at its upper end.

As evident, the post member 17 and post 21 therein is adjustable with respect to the base 4 and angles 5 in the same way as already described in detail with reference to Figs. 1-3; and, therefore, repetition is not deemed necessary. If the plate 18 is mounted between the channel flanges, the width of said plate should be less than the width of channel web so as to permit angular adjustment in the plane Y.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An adjustable post structure comprising an earthembedded support including a pair of rigid upstanding members projecting above the earth, a channel member having its flanges pivotally connected to said upstanding members about an axis transverse to such flanges, a post member having its lower end portion pivotally connected to the channel web about an axis transverse to such web, such angularly related pivotal axes enabling swinging of said channel member to position its web in a vertical plane and swinging of said post member in a vertical plane to a true vertical position irrespective of the direction of tilt of said upstanding members, and means for locking said channel member to said post member and to said upstanding members respectively to thus retain said post member in its adjusted position.

2. An adjustable post structure comprising a pair of upstanding parallel angle members, a channel member having its flanges in juxtaposition between parallel legs of said angle members, means connecting said channel member to said angle members for pivotal adjustment about an axis transverse to such channel flanges and angle legs and including an arcuate slot coaxial with such axis, a post member having its lower end portion in juxtaposition to the channel web, means connecting said post member to said channel member for pivotal adjustment about an axis transverse to such channel web and including an arcuate slot coaxial with such last-mentioned axis, and means for locking said channel member to said post member and to said angle members respectively to thus retain said post member in a desired adjusted position with respect to said angle members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 110,434 Clarke Dec. 27, 1870 276,791 Engle, Jr. May 1, 1883 441,072 Price Nov. 18, 1890 1,853,153 Skeel Apr. 12, 1932 2,512,108 Liptay June 20, 1950 

